What’s the light situation in your building? Is it row upon row of fluorescent ceiling lights? Are there large windows that let in natural sunlight instead? The difference matters.
The American Society of Interior Design polled a sampling of employees and found nearly 70 percent “complain about the lighting situation in their offices,” says efficiency and marketing consultant Andrew Jensen.
So why does lighting matter? Well, for one thing, there’s a correlation between lighting, employee mood and productivity. Research has found again and again that natural sunlight is better for employees’ morale than artificial lights.
Check out these Midwest office lighting experts who can teach you a thing or two about seeing things in the right light.
Ohio
LSI Industries
With its focus on “lighting + graphics + technology,” LSI Industries in Cincinnati has served Ohioans since 1976. Its lighting solutions are for both indoor and outdoor use. While they do stock LEDs, LSI also has non-LED lighting options, and offers wall mounts, track lights, lighting strips, lensed troffers and architectural lights among its products.
ROI Energy
Want to cut back on energy usage by as much as 75 percent? Upgrade your lights at ROI Energy in Hudson. Their goals are in their name: they can help any office become more energy-efficient, increasing their return on investment along the way. They will even uninstall out-of-date T8 lamps and fit the office with new LED fixtures.
LeVeck Lighting
Another company that retrofits old office lights is LeVeck Lighting. Although founded in 1977, this Tipp City company stays current with evolving lighting technology and today sells a variety of eco-friendly lights, including high-intensity discharge or HIDs, compact fluorescent lamps or CFLs and LEDs.
Energy Focus
While Energy Focus in Solon mostly manufactures tubular LED lights, they also carry LED housings and luminaries. Their clients include the Department of Defense and the US Navy, who trust this company for retrofitted lighting. Of course, these LEDs are just as much at home in an office or commercial setting as they are in the Navy.
King Lighting
Dayton and Cincinnati businesses can call on King Lighting to brighten up their offices. This company has a lengthy history, as it’s existed since 1927. Past projects include the Great American Tower Lobby at Queen City Square in Cincinnati and the Otterbein Senior Lifestyles Community Site in Lebanon.
Illinois
Waldmann
Waldmann lights up medical, architectural, industrial and office spaces throughout Wheeling. The company designs its office lighting fixtures for optimal comfort, productivity and ergonomics. Browse the dangling overhead fixtures, desk-mounted or freestanding lights to see what fits.
Focal Point Lights
Combine the energy efficiency of lighting with the class of an interior design team and you’ve got the crux of Chicago’s Focal Point Lights. “Every luminaire is designed to solve a particular lighting problem in terms of optics, light distribution and quality, energy consumption and overall performance,” Focal Point explains. “At the same time, every luminaire serves an aesthetic function — whether making a bold statement or virtually disappearing into the surrounding architecture.”
Lighting Associates
Serving Illinois and Missouri, Lighting Associates works with distributors, contractors, end users and specifiers to provide varied lighting options. They can link up with more than 100 manufacturers to stock almost any type of office lighting, including energy-saving LEDs.
Duray Lighting
Founded in 1946 in Des Plaines, Duray Lighting has grown over the decades to serve residential, educational, industrial, healthcare, retail and commercial customers. Their focus is LED lights, but they also sell advanced fluorescents that use less energy than regular fluorescents. They’re an ideal choice for offices near Chicago.
Juno Lighting
Another Des Plaines company is Juno Lighting. They too are dedicated to using LED lights and also stock ceramic metal halide or CMH and CFL lights, all of which are environmentally conscious.
AFX
No matter which type of light you’re looking for, you can probably get it at AFX in Waukegan. Just some of the company’s selection includes vanity lights, undercabinet lights, linear lights and fixed rail lights. Look for products certified through Energy Star.
Wisconsin
Orion Energy
Toss out those incandescent bulbs and upgrade to LEDs at Orion Energy in Manitowoc. With emergency lighting, exit signs, retrofit tubes and flat panels available, there are plenty of options for offices. Building owners will enjoy lower energy bills, better energy efficiency, a boost in employee productivity and less strain on their HVAC systems.
Kozar Technologies
Eagle River company Kozar Technologies specializes in commercial and residential video conferencing systems, phone systems, security, audio systems and lighting. They can automate the lights in an office so no one has to stay late to turn off the lights themselves. Don’t want the office pitch black overnight? Kozar’s system can dim the lights, saving energy and money.
CJM Lighting & Electrical
Jeff O’Connor is the founder of CJM Lighting & Electrical in Lannon. His company was inspired by the principles of Wisconsin’s state energy program. CJM’s variation of that program, the Focus on Energy Business Incentive, treats customers to cash incentives when they buy energy-conscious lights from CJM.
Titan LED Wisconsin
Don’t you want to use the same lights as Jay Leno? Then choose Titan LED Wisconsin. Based in Grafton, the company claims its customers can reduce energy costs by at least 65 percent with their lights. The company sells both exterior and interior LEDs, including ceiling lights and tube replacement lamps.
Enterprise Lighting & Control
Since 1978, Enterprise Lighting & Control in Waukesha has improved lighting and productivity in college campuses, sports arenas, churches, restaurants, offices and more. The team prefers to start with an energy audit to see where a building can cut back. From there, they’ll schedule a design consultation to plan the new layout.
Iowa
Innovative Lighting
Roland businesses can choose from two types of office lighting when they shop with Innovative Lighting. Their LP Series Troffer is intended for spaces with drop ceilings. These LED lights are dust-proof and create a bright, even glow. The A2 Series Troffer, which also works for drop ceilings, is designed for looks and will surely spruce up an office.
IGOR
IGOR isn’t like most lights. This Johnston company runs its lighting solutions with Ethernet. “This means it’s not only easier and more economical to install than traditional lighting, but network-enabled lighting components give you immediate access and control over the entire system,” the company explains. And yes, this service is available for offices.
Sitler’s LED Supplies
Want to improve your office’s energy efficiency? There’s Sitler’s LED Supplies in Washington. They can do an environmental assessment or evaluation, create an energy savings plan and even install LED fixtures or retrofit lamps. You’ll be saving money on your energy bills in no time.
Energyficient
From project management to materials supply and everything in between, Energyficient in Burlington is an important part of a client’s journey towards energy efficiency. The process starts with a client interview, then a site assessment, analysis and finally, installation.
UltraGreen
Speaking of environmental analyses, UltraGreen will do one for free. This LED lighting company wants offices to feel comfortable with their choice of LEDs, so that analysis doubles as an environmental lesson, too. Once you realize how much cash will be in your pocket, you won’t be able to resist.
Credits:
Seb ZurcherBonnie Kittle
Davide Cantelli
Robert Haverly
